Abstract

This paper discusses the effect of small devices, the Gurney flaps, on the impeller of a single stage axial pump. The Gurney flaps are attached to the trailing edge on the pressure side of each of the three blades. The blades are profiled according to the Göttinger profile family GOE 11K. The experimental investigations determine the influence of the Gurney flaps, with the height of 1 mm and 2 mm and the width of 2 mm, on the pump characteristics. On the one hand these devices lead to an increased head and a shift of the best efficiency point to higher volume flow rates. Additionally, the operating range increases. On the other hand the Gurney flaps influence the cavitation characteristics of the axial pump. Due to these devices the NPSH values increase slightly. The 2 mm high Gurney flaps showed significant effect on the pump characteristics.